Machine for splitting plume-stems.



E. W. MUCH, MACHINE FOB. SPLI'ITING PLUME STEMS.

APPLICATION IILED 0GT.31, 1911.

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WITNESS/:"8:

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed Gctooer 31, 1911.

Patented July 16, 1912. Serial No. 657,542.

To all 'whom 'it may concern.

Be it known that l, .EUGENE WY. Moon, a citizen oi the United States, residing at New York city, county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Machine for Splitting Plume-Stems, of which the lollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine of novel construction for splitting plume stems, so as to reduce the thickness of said stems and increase their pliability.

The machine is particularly adapted for splitting the stems of large and expensive plumes, as it insures an accurate guidance of the plume stem along the cutting tool during the splitting operation, so that the cut is positively made along the axis of the stem from end to end.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of a machine embodying my invention; Fig. 2 a plan of the slide; Fig. 3 a cross section ot' the machine on line 3 3, Fig. 1; Fig. l a face view of a plume split by the machine; Fig. 5 a bottom view of part of the clamp bar, and Fig. 6 a cross section on line 6 6, Fig. 5.

A standard 10 is provided with an upper squared eye 11 that receives a bar 12, which is longitudinally adjustable upon the standard and is clamped in position by screw 13. Integral with standard 10, is the bearing 141-, for the shaft 15 of a circular saw 16, driven from pulley 17 by belt 18. Bar 12 is provided at each end with a laterally extendingl arm 19 made of angle iron, and supporting a worktable or plate 2O slotted as at 21, for the passage of 16. Means are provided for vertically adjusting table 20, so that the length of the projecting effective saw blade segment may be regulated. For this purpose there are pivoted to the ends of table 20, threaded rods 22 carrying nuts 23 that are supported on arms 19, so that on turning the nuts, the table may be readily raised or lowered. J am nuts 21 carried by rods 22 below arms 19 fix the table in position after it has been set.

Table 10 is provided with a pair of guide rails 25 that flank slot 21 and are adapted to engage a plume holding slide which on being manually drawn longitudinally over the table, presents the plume stem to the action of saw 16. The slide is composed of a pair of spaced longitudinal bars 26 connected to each other at one end by a cross piece 27 and at the other end by a bail 28 constitnt ing a handle. Bars 26 are slotted lengthwisc for the reception of plate-like grippers 29 that. are projected inwardly by springs 30 accommodated within corresponding recesses of the bars. Stops 31 limit the inward play oi? the gripper-s to such an extent that a gap is permanently formed centrally between them, said gap being centered above saw 16 which it is adapted to accommodate.

Along the inner edge of each gripper 29, there is formed a longitudinal ledge constituting a jaw 33 provided with a plurality or' spaced lingers 'lhese lingers are arranged at right angles to the jaws and have beveled inner edges, that permit the ready introduction of the plume stem therebetween, so that the lower side of said stern is exposed to the action of the saw.

.ln order to firmly seat the plume and to hold its 'stem into positive contact with the saw, there is hinged to one end of the slide, a clamp bar adapted to be folded centrally over the jaws, so as to bridge gap 32. rlhis clamp bar is grooved longitudinally as at 36 and transversely as at. 37 to accommodate saw 16 and lingers 3-/1- respectively. Bar may be 'locked in its folded position by means of a pivoted spring catch 38 engaging longitudinal bars 26 and provided with a handle 39. rlhe rear end ci bar 35 is forked as at 40 and turns on a pintle 4:1. rlhe fork 40 straddles a bent toe ll2 also turning on pintle l1 and adapted to bear upon the tip of the plume to be split to which it is held by a spring 1n use bar 35 is swung up to uncover jaws 33 and raise toe The. tip oi the plume stem 44 is slipped underneath the toe and the latter is then lowered by slightly swinging bar downward, so that the tip is securely clamped in position. Stem 14e is now pushed in between the lingers 3l and bar 35 an d locked in position by catch 38. The slide being thus charged is drawn lengthwise over table 2O along rails 2.5 which so guide the slide that the plume stem remains always axially alined with the revolving saw 16. In this way the stein is accurately split along its axis without in any way interfering with or damaging the lues. After the operation is completed the bar is raised and the split plume taken out, the pit-h of the stem being now removed if desired.

I claim:

1. A machine of the character described, comprising a. slotted table, a circular saw projecting partly therethrough, a guide on the table, a slotted slide adapted to engage the guide, said slide being provided with a clamp bar adapted to be folded over a plume stem.

2. A machine of the character described, comprising a slotted table, a circular saw projecting partly Jtherethrough, a guide on the table, and a slide adapted to engage said guide, said slide being provided with a pair of spring-iniuenced grippers adapted to engage a plume stem and with a clamp bar adapted to be folded over said stem.

3. A machine of the character described, comprising a slotted table, a circular saw projecting partly therethrough, a guide on the table, and a slide adapted to engage said guide, said slide being provided with a pair of spaced spring influenced grippers, jaws at the inner edges of the grippers and iingers extending transversely across said jaws.

4. A machine of the character described, comprising a slotted table, a circular saw projecting partly therethrough, a pair of guide rails on the table that flank the tableslot, and a slide engaging said rails, said slide being provided with a pair of springiniiuenced grippers, and with a clamp bar 35 extending over said grippers.

5. A machine of the character described, comprising a slot-ted table, a circular saw projecting partly therethrough, a pair of guide rails on the table that ianl; the table- 49 slot, and a slide engaging said rails, said slide being provided with a pair ot springinfluenced grippers, jaws extending along the inner edges of the grippers, and a grooved clamp bar ext-ending over said jaws. 6. A. machine of the character described, comprising a slotted table, a circular saw projecting partly therethrough, a pair of guide rails on the table that flank the tableslot, and a slide engaging said rails, said 50 slide being provided with a pair of springinfluenced grippers, jaws at the inner edges ot the grippers, fingers extending transversely across said jaws, a pivoted toe, and a pivoted clamp bar adapted to operatively engage said toe and to betolded over the jaws.

EUGENE W'. MUCH.

lVitnesses FRANK v. BnmsnN, KATHERYNE Kooi-1.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five centseach, by addressing the Commissioner of atents. Washington, D. C. 

